DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 8-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Utsumi et al (2012/0328993).
Utsumi et al disclose a resist composition comprises a polymer, a solvent, and an acid generator, wherein the polymer comprises a unit which decomposes to generator an acid, wherein the unit has a structure falling within the scope of the instantly claimed formulas.
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In the above formula, R (instant RA) is H, alkyl, or fluorinated alkyl, n1 is 0 or 1 (exemplified units include naphthyl groups, pages 15 and 16), R 65 (instant R) is H, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl ([0184]), instant LA is ether or ester, Xl is preferably alkyl, LB can be ester, Q1 and Q2 H, and Q3 and A4 are F (see example above), which meets the limitations of claims 1-4. The reference teaches that R65 is halogen, therefore one of skill in the art would have been motivated to include one from the finite list of halogen atoms, which includes iodine as required by the instant claims.
The reference demonstrates sulfonium cations of structure meeting the instant claims (see exemplified polymers).
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Therefore, the polymers of the reference include a unit as instantly claimed (instant claims 1-5).
The reference polymers further preferably include a group having the well-known structures below falling within the instant (b1) and (b2), with exemplified polymer including such groups as required by the instant claim 6.
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claim 8, the reference teacvhes groups of structure of (d1), where R31 is sultone, lactone
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Regarding claim 8, the reference teaches and includes groups within the scope of (d1), wherein R31 is sultone, lactone, hydroxy other than phenolic hydroxy, cyclic ethers, cyano, and carboxyl ((a3-1) (a3-3), [0485], [0522], [0531], [0541], [0562], [0564], [0567], [0572]). Examples appear below.
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The composition further comprises an acid generator (component (B) [0671]), a nitrogen-containing compound (base, quencher, component (D), [0790]), a solvent, surfactant,and dissolution inhibitor ([0824]; instant claims 10-14).
The method of patterning includes the steps as set forth by the instant claims 15 and 15, wherein the resist is coated onto a substrate, pre-baked/ dreid to remove solvent and form a film, exposed (preferably to DUV (ArF), EUV, ebeam), and developed ([0833]-[0837], claim 7; instant claims 15 and 16).
Given the teachings of the reference, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant invention to prepare the material of Utsumi et al, choosing as the unit comprising an acid generating compound, that as disclosed above, wherein when R65 is I, and the cation is a sulfonium cation, the monomer and polymer of the reference also meet the limitations of the instant claims.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Utsumi et al in view of Hatakeyama et al (2018/0335696).
Utsumi has been discussed above. Utsumi et al teach that known monomers useful in resist polymers may be included, but fails to specifically disclose a phenolic hydroxy-containing unit ([0652]).
Hatakeyama et al disclose a resist composition comprising a polymer and solvent, wherein the polymer comprises a unit having a acid-generating structure. The unit comprises a sulfonic acid anion bond to the polymer backbone with a sulfonium or iodonium cation.
Hatekeyama et al includes monomer similar to that as claimed and as taught by Utsumi et al, and further teaches units having acid-labile groups ((instant(b1)), and hydroxyphenyl groups (instant (c1)), and lactone-containing units (instant (d1)), wherein the exemplified polymers comprise units as set forth by the instant claims 6-8.
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. Therefore, the reference teaches that all such monomers are known and suitable for use in resist materials, including those having sulfonic acid-containing acid generating units.
These monomers, as discussed above, include those of the instant formula (c1).
Therefore, given the teachings of the references, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant invention, to prepare the polymer of Utsumi et al, choosing as an additional known monomer, that having a structure falling within the scope of the instant formula (c1) as taught to be known by Hatakeyama et al, wherein the resultant polymer would also meet the limitations of the instant claim 7.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/31/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant has amended the claims to require that LA and LB are not a single bond, but an ether, ester, sulfonic ester, carbonate, or carbamate.
The amendments have overcome the rejections over Hatakeyama et al which requires one of LA and LB to be a single bond.
With respect to the Utsumi et al, applicant has argued that the reference does not fairly teach or suggest for R65 to be iodine as a halogen. The rejection wherein halogens include a finite list including iodine, fluorine, chlorine, and bromine ([0106]), and applicant argues that fluorine is preferred meaning iodine would not be fairly taught and selected by one of skill in the art. However, the reference teachings are not limited to its preferred embodiments, and iodine is one of four halogens specifically defined by the reference as the substituent, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to select iodine as the halogen given the teachings of the reference for the four halogens being suitable for R65. The compound of the reference meets the limitations for the additional substituents as shown above, and the only selection would be for R65.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMANDA C WALKE whose telephone number is (571)272-1337. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 5:30am to 4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Niki Bakhtiari can be reached at 571-272-3433. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AMANDA C. WALKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
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